There are many different techniques for extending the range of mobile radios, typically used in high frequency (HF), very high frequency (VHF), and sometimes ultra-high frequency (UHF) wireless communications. Examples of such mobile radios include the various devices manufactured by the assignee of the present invention, Harris Corporation of Melbourne, Fla., including the tactical mobile radios sold under the designation Falcon® II radios that are often manufactured as a multiband manpack or a handheld. These mobile radios are used in the field and often are combat net radios (CNR) operative in a communications network, such as an Integrated Tactical Area Network System (ITACS), which provides secure voice, data and video services to tactical users, using IP data and VOIP voice processing and other network benefits. One technique to extend the range of networked mobile radios includes the use of rebroadcasting stations that split the communications network so that the mobile radio outstations receive some transmissions from the rebroadcast station and other transmissions directly from another mobile radio outstation. It would be more advantageous if the mobile radios communicated directly to a repeater and not to each other, thus reducing the number of possible radio paths.
Many mobile radios currently support two-frequency simplex for use in a repeater mode. In more advanced designs, a mobile radio supports single frequency hopping hopset communications. When a repeater, as contrasted with a rebroadcast station is required, however, frequency hopping cannot be used. For example, different communications networks, such as FalconNet produced by the assignee of the present invention, Harris Corporation, supports wide area communications via repeaters, but does not advantageously use any multiple frequency hopping hopsets in a repeater mode. These networked mobile radios only support frequency hopping using a single frequency hopping hopset. One frequency is selected for frequency hopping and possible locksets to exclude specific frequencies. These mobile radios also use the same frequency hopping hopset for both receive and transmit communications, which limits the usefulness for electronic counter-measures and security.